CHAPTER 72: CHAPTER 72: ART AFTER DARK

[Jasmine’s POV]

"Welcome to the show," Axel said as we stepped onto the busy boardwalk that was next to the local museum.

I stared around in awe at the light show as we walked under a banner that read ’Art After Dark’. Everywhere I looked, there were beautiful displays of artistry. Large metal statues with colorful lights attached, a hall of mirrors painted with bright spray paint with twinkling lights lining the glass, and giant flowers made from pink glass that were at least thirty feet tall.

Even the small lake next to the boardwalk featured artists’ creations on raised glass platforms. My favorite were the watercolor paintings blown up on twenty-foot-wide canvases. I recognized that the stunning mountain landscapes were Axel’s work.

"Wow..." I shielded my eyes from the setting sun as I gazed at the art around me. "This is amazing, Axel. I can’t believe you put all this together."

He waved away my compliment and put his hands in the pockets of his jeans. I was glad that Axel had dressed casually like me. Since he had told me this show wouldn’t be fancy, I chose a blush-pink blouse that only showed a hint of cleavage, dark skinny jeans, and black ballet flats. I left my wavy, honey-colored hair down and didn’t bother with makeup since the sun would set soon anyway.

"Well, I had a lot of help putting this show together," Axel said modestly, a quality I liked in a guy. "I definitely can’t take all the credit."

But as we walked through the displays, a lot of important-looking people came up to congratulate him on a successful show. During each of these conversations, Axel always introduced me, made sure that I felt included in the conversation, and held my hand. Even when a young, attractive blonde tried to flirt with him right in front of me, Axel cut the conversation short, and we left her standing there with her mouth open in shock.

As we walked along the edge of the show, a giant glowing pink jellyfish on the other side of the boardwalk caught my attention. It was swaying through the air—almost like a huge balloon in a parade—but I couldn’t tell what was holding it down. The sun had gone down, and despite the bright lights that surrounded me, I couldn’t see what the jellyfish was attached to.

When I asked Axel, he smiled and pointed below the jellyfish’s legs.

"Can you see the spinning wheels below the legs?"

I squinted, and after a moment, I could see what he was talking about.

"Oh my Goddess! Are those people on bicycles?" I asked.

Axel nodded. "A team of professional cyclists. It was my idea to have them ride around the boardwalk so that the jellyfish would look like it was floating through the air by itself."

"That’s amazing," I murmured, transfixed. Then, I turned to Axel with a teasing smile. "Did you choose this date to show off your creative skills? Because it’s working. I’m thoroughly impressed."

Axel chuckled, put his warm arm around me, and pulled me against his side.

"No, I wish I’d come up with this smart date, but all the credit goes to Isabella."

As soon as he mentioned his cousin, my whole body froze. My head whipped around, and I searched for Elliot, half-expecting him to pop out of an art display. Was this going to turn into the same thing as last night? Would I never be able to escape Elliot’s looming presence?

Axel noticed my nervous expression and squeezed my shoulder.

"They won’t be coming tonight," he assured me. "I don’t think they are in the mood to go out right now. Ever since they fought last night at dinner, I’ve heard them arguing. I know that my cousin isn’t too happy with Elliot at the moment."

I nodded, relieved that Elliot wouldn’t be here tonight. But that was followed by worry for Isabella. I hoped she was alright.

It did seem like Elliot was acting more recklessly lately. My ex-mate was staring at me more and even speaking to me in public now. No wonder Isabella wasn’t happy. If my fiancé were paying another woman that much attention, I’d be upset too. Hopefully, Elliot could get his act together soon and treat his future wife with love and respect.

Then, something occurred to me that made my stomach sink. I hoped that Gareth wouldn’t blame me for Elliot and Isabella fighting. I really needed my job as Michelle’s tutor.

"Well, I hope that things get better for Isabella soon," I said, purposefully not wishing the best for Elliot. Elliot could hang for all I cared.

When we passed by the food trucks, I was shocked when Axel suggested that we have dinner here. I didn’t think that someone from his wealth and status would ever eat anything other than food prepared by a classically trained chef.

Axel bought us a mountain of food that we could never finish all by ourselves. With a grin, my date ate a foot-long hot dog. Then, he dug into a hardshell steak taco, groaning with pleasure at the taste.

I enjoyed my food too, and when we were finished, Axel had a bit of hot sauce on the corner of his mouth. Without even thinking about it, I used my napkin to wipe off the spot. While I was cleaning it, Axel stared at me with a warm look in his eyes, and a small smile crossed his face.

His admiring stare made me blush, and I tried to pull my hand away, but Axel took hold of it and squeezed it tightly. After we cleaned up our trash, we continued to walk down the boardwalk, Axel pointing out his favorite exhibits. He kept hold of my hand the whole time, and it didn’t make my heart race, but it still felt nice.

At the end of the show stood a large illuminated white stone statue that took my breath away. The piece was of a woman in a dress that I believed to be the Moon Goddess. From her sincere smile and her hands raised high into the air as if she were caught dancing, she gave off a divine aura. Her entire body was lit with a bright white light, adding to the ethereal feeling of the work of art.

I stared up at her, transfixed.

"She’s beautiful," I murmured.

I could feel Axel’s eyes on me.

"She is," he agreed and squeezed my hand gently.

My whole body flushed, and I looked down at my shoes.

Hand-in-hand, we strolled to a less crowded area with dim lighting. There were a few other couples on the wooden benches, and the faint sound of live music from the other side of the boardwalk.

"This is a classical music piece, " Axel said after a quiet moment of listening to the music.

"It’s lovely."

"I love classical music. My mother takes me to the symphony all the time back home in Germany." There was a wistful look on his face.

"Do you miss home?" I asked, leaning against the wooden railing.

There was a slight wind making my hair tickle the side of my face. Axel gently tucked it behind my ear as he considered my question.

"Yes, I do," he replied, then looked deeply into my eyes. "But there’s something here, or more specifically, someone, that I don’t have back home."

He inclined his head at me and leaned slightly forward.

I blushed for the third time in twenty minutes and dropped my gaze. I looked across the dark water, trying to find something else to talk about.

"Do you play any instruments?" I looked at the live band on the small stage playing for people dining at an outdoor restaurant.

"I do," he answered. "I’ll even give you a performance on our next date." He grinned and offered me his hand. "May I have this dance, my lady?"

I nervously glanced around. No one else was dancing.

"Come on, Jasmine. Live a little," he teased.

I sighed but grabbed his hand. He led me under one of the streetlights. Axel wrapped his arms around my waist, and I put my hands on his strong shoulders. With the faint music in the background, we slowly swayed back and forth. My heart raced when he pulled me closer. I wasn’t sure if it was from excitement or nervousness.

Axel leaned down and put his lips next to my ear. "This city is my new favorite place because you live here," he whispered, then pulled away with a wink.

When the song ended, Axel pressed his lips softly to my cheek.